No oil, no heat

[Bruce Urie]

Jeeze, you fellas are not going to believe this....first the broken tail light episode...OK, bad luck, will get over it, looking for replacement lens and trim, but...then....only two days after that happened...we ran out of oil! Yep, and we have an inground tank that I'm not going to put any more oil in it until we get an above ground tank...seems our insurance company WILL NOT insure us anymore when they found out we had an inground 550 gallon tank.(came with the house) Nice people. So, we've been without heat in the house for about two weeks...whoowhee! It's been cold!

Thank God for our next door neighbor, real nice guy, retired Navy man! Loaned us his quartz miracle heater to tide us over....I don't really have the $400 or so bucks to buy one of those right now because I'm searching for a company to install an above ground tank....EPA WILL NOT let me install my own tank and hook it up...how do you like that crap? Thank you, EPA! Still have lots of people to talk to...I don't want any misunderstandings and ask for a tank install only to come out and find a USARMY ABRAMS under the window....well, come to think of it, I'd LOVE that!

So, just want to let you all know that my luck has already run out, it's now on borrowed time. Isn't that something?

This heater we borrowed only keeps the temperature at 60-62 degrees, that's it. But that's better than the 32-49 outside...and some more snow expected tomorrow!!

The hits just keep on coming. I guess I'm relying on all you guy's WARM friendship to keep us warm until spring thaw!

The price of heating oil is outrageous!!!!! More than gasoline. I really feel for and sympathize with the folks up North in our country who rely on heating oil to heat their homes. I don't know how they do it with the price of this oil almost like the price of gold.

Us..we've changed every light bulb in the house with the squirelly type, all outside lights also, got double pane windows with Argon gas in them, low E light shading, water saver stuff in both baths, automatic programable thermostat and I keep that on 66 during the day, 68 from 5 until 11, then 60 at night. I don't leave any lights on anywhere. Just trying to get our electric bill down. And heating oil eats our savings right up. Crooks. Those damn speculators are the problem as we all know. I wish the empty suit in the White House would do something instead of taking vacations all of the damn time!!!!!I'll bet he's nice and warm.

Look at that Bruce...blabbing and bitching all over again. Suck it up, URIE!!!!! Sorry.


Bruce '87 Grand National

 

[hungerbuhler1]

When it rains it pours! Hopefully this is the end of your storm. Good luck with the tank and i hope your family stays warm!

 

[TR Custom Parts]

Why not just dump a short load of oil in the tank to get you thru the rest of this "winter". Can't really say it is spring yet. I am trying to nurse the tank I have so I don't have to pay for a load that is going to sit all summer. Will probably get 5 gallons of diesel once in a while to keep a little reserve in there!

I had a tank that was under the foyer in my raised ranch. I saw that it was patched once before and knew it would need attention sooner or later. I finished my whole basement and didn't want to take a chance of it leaking and ruining all my hard work so ended up putting a tank in the garage. Had enough space and didn't want it outside. Problem was, the house was actually built around the original tank so it had to be cut up to be removed. Smart planning on the original builder. Was $1800 to remove the old and put in the new including the plumbing, disposal of the old and priming the furnace.

Imagine removing the old tank from in the ground will be a whole 'nother story especially if it is a leaker! Hopefully not.

Oh yeah, how did your insurance company find out about the in ground tank anyway?????

 

[GNTIM]

Dump a few gallons of kerosene in the tank. I nurse a 40+ y/o oil furnace every winter. Also hate running out in the spring, but it runs better on kero than #2.

 

[Bruce Urie]

Dump a few gallons of kerosene in the tank. I nurse a 40+ y/o oil furnace every winter. Also hate running out in the spring, but it runs better on kero than #2.

Hey, good idea, as I never thought of that. But, get this, Kerosene is 3.99 a gallon here. And I'd have to add a lot to bring it up to the level of the intake tubing so it'll be sucked in by the furnance pump. But, I will consider this. Thanks a lot, appreciate the idea.

Bruce '87 Grand National

 

[scot w.]

Bruce,

I'm sorry to hear of this continuous bad luck lately. For what it's worth,when it dips really low here (we just have elec heat) we use our round kerosene heater in the middle of the living room floor and leave it on it's lowest setting until I go to bed (late) and it keeps the house almost too warm. Might be another idea until the funds are more available..

Plus take a visit to your local Tractor supply store (or similar) and see what they have as a temporary heat source. Last time I was there they had all kinds of nice heaters to choose from.. I will see what else I have laying around here and send it to ya!

Scot W.

 

[Bruce Urie]

Why not just dump a short load of oil in the tank to get you thru the rest of this "winter". Can't really say it is spring yet. I am trying to nurse the tank I have so I don't have to pay for a load that is going to sit all summer. Will probably get 5 gallons of diesel once in a while to keep a little reserve in there!

I had a tank that was under the foyer in my raised ranch. I saw that it was patched once before and knew it would need attention sooner or later. I finished my whole basement and didn't want to take a chance of it leaking and ruining all my hard work so ended up putting a tank in the garage. Had enough space and didn't want it outside. Problem was, the house was actually built around the original tank so it had to be cut up to be removed. Smart planning on the original builder. Was $1800 to remove the old and put in the new including the plumbing, disposal of the old and priming the furnace.

Imagine removing the old tank from in the ground will be a whole 'nother story especially if it is a leaker! Hopefully not.

Oh yeah, how did your insurance company find out about the in ground tank anyway?????

Mark, the oil companies around here in our area, Central Virginia, will only sell us a minimum of 250 gallons, no less. All of them. Can you believe that?

Your price of having your tank replaced is inline with what we've gotten so far, a 250 gallon, right? And yeah, real smart planning by the builder, I guess he thought it would last forever and wouldn't need replacing.

The EPA regulations says inground tanks have to be taken out, but it's around $18,000- $20,000 to dig it up as per some contractors I've spoken to. I don't know what I'm going to do about this part, sell my body in D.C. or go back to being a hit man for the Mafia. I quit because bullets are too expensive and I kept ruining my suits.:biggrin:

I went upstairs and asked my Shirley how did the insurance company find out we had an inground tank....turns out I was mistaken, I heard wrong, it was all the other insurance companies she had called to get a better rate (which all were better, but we had to tell THEM what type of oil tank it is) Our present insurance company, I don't think, knows. So, I sure hope no one tells them or I'm up the creek. But they are very high with home insurance. All the other companies beat them with much lower prices. We are trying hard to lower our expenses here, refinancing twice, got the mortgage down to $911 a month now on a 30 year loan at 4.375%, and now trying to get lower insurance for the house. Please forgive me for my misunderstanding and misstatement. I'm sorry about that. I can only hope our insurance company doesn't see this post!

I service my own furnance every year, taking it all apart, cleaning it, replacing electrodes, setting them at the proper angle, replacing the nozzle with the right type, oil the fan blower, vacuum out the lower pipes of the exhaust, clean and replace the filter container, and just early at the beginning of winter, replaced the damn igniter. The furnance was new in '08, go figure.

I don't think the tank is leaking, but I did find some water in the filter. Is this normal condensate from the tank from not filling it up to the top last winter? It would have cost over $2,000 if I had so I guessed on how much we needed for winter....300 gallons, which is why we ran out. Even the damn furnance is like my Vette, which it alone gets 13-14mpg on 93 octane. Seems the furnance is equivalent to the Vette in this way.

Friends who have come over and have seen our funance said it's cleaner than my Vettes and Grand National combined!!!!

The law here says I have to take out the inground tank...so I better start buying lots and lots of shovels at Home Depot.

Bruce '87 Grand National

 

[Bruce Urie]

Bruce,

I'm sorry to hear of this continuous bad luck lately. For what it's worth,when it dips really low here (we just have elec heat) we use our round kerosene heater in the middle of the living room floor and leave it on it's lowest setting until I go to bed (late) and it keeps the house almost too warm. Might be another idea until the funds are more available..

Plus take a visit to your local Tractor supply store (or similar) and see what they have as a temporary heat source. Last time I was there they had all kinds of nice heaters to choose from.. I will see what else I have laying around here and send it to ya!

Scot W.

Hey, Scot, ol' buddy, that's alright! No problem, just cold. We all go through crap sometimes, don't we?

I have a Reddy Heater in the garage, but, these kerosene heaters used in a tight house enviornment is dangerous. I thought about that but nixed it. Already there have been quite a few house fires around here and fatalities due to indoor kerosene heaters. Me personally, and I know you must think I'm a wimp, they give me the biggest headache in the world. When I use the Reddy Heater in the garage, I have lots of ventilation, roof ventilators, door cracked and I still get sick. So does Shirley. But maybe I'll try it. I almost bought one of those round kerosene heaters years ago, a buddy of mine used his to heat his garage when we were working on his '60 Vette....you're right, they do a great job. I'll talk with Shirley and maybe go back to Tractor Supply and get one. I'll let you know. Thanks for the idea. I needed one.

Funny, I was just at Tractor Supply today, but I wound up buying metal rods and plates to make some things for the Grand National. Shirley was with me, but had to rush her home because she was getting sick again. Sigh.

Hey, you don't have to send me anything, stop being such a nice guy, well, there is one thing you can send me that's laying around the garage out there.........that BEAUTIFUL, GORGEOUS, LOVELY, FAST, INCREDIBLE white TurboRegal you have......I'll glady pay shipping!!!:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

Thanks for your concern, my friend. And you've got a friend here.

I went upstairs to check the heater....it's a toasty 60 in the living room, and 58 in the bedroom, where my Shirley is all buried under a pile of blankets with two cats laying near her. Such a sight! I'll send you a picture of the situation and why I can't sleep in our own bedroom anymore.

Bruce '87 Grand National

 

[scot w.]

Hey, Scot, ol' buddy, that's alright! No problem, just cold. We all go through crap sometimes, don't we? But, I it looks like I thrive on sympathy.

I have a Reddy Heater in the garage, but, these kerosene heaters used in a tight house enviornment is dangerous. I thought about that but nixed it. Already there have been quite a few house fires around here and fatalities due to indoor kerosene heaters. Me personally, and I know you must think I'm a wimp, they give me the biggest headache in the world. When I use the Reddy Heater in the garage, I have lots of ventilation, roof ventilators, door cracked and I still get sick. So does Shirley.

Funny, I was just at Tractor Supply today, but I wound up buying metal rods and plates to make some things for the Grand National. Shirley was with me, but had to rush her home again because she was getting sick again. Sigh.

Hey, you don't have to send me anything, stop being such a nice guy, well, there is one thing you can send me that's laying around the garage out there.........that BEAUTIFUL, GORGEOUS, LOVELY, FAST, INCREDIBLE white TurboRegal you have......I'll glady pay shipping!!!:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

Thanks for your concern, my friend. And you've got a friend here.

I went upstairs to check the heater....it's a toasty 60 in the living room, and 58 in the bedroom, where my Shirley is all buried under a pile of blankets with two cats laying near her. Such a sight! I'll send you a picture of the situation and why I can't sleep in our own bedroom anymore.

Bruce '87 Grand National

I have a old electric ceramic heater that was used in my old office space in the basement that done a GREAT job, It has an automatic cut off if the heater happens to get knocked over so it's nice and safe, plus it will keep Shirley nice and toasty in her room ..

I will ask my wife to look for it tomorrow and when we find it I am going to send it...I'm warm, you and Shirley aren't and that's the least I can do with a heater sitting here doing nothing...


Scot W.

 

[scot w.]

The law here says I have to take out the inground tank...so I better start buying lots and lots of shovels at Home Depot.

Bruce '87 Grand National

Just a plane ticket,rent a trackhoe,and beer for the weekend and we will dig it up ourselves!! :biggrin: Just what I did back in the day... Loved it!!

Here are some of the last pictures of me at work back in 2005 running electric & sewer through a parking lot..

SW.

 

[6cylboost]

how bout a heat pump with back up electric heat. or if your already digging up the back yard 'geothermal'

 

[Bruce Urie]

how bout a heat pump with back up electric heat. or if your already digging up the back yard 'geothermal'

I considered that, but we had a brand new air conditioner put in around 2008 and would hate to scrap that.

I checked into the "geothermal" system, too, a while back. Try around $30,000 to start in this area, and would take decades to get it to pay back. We can't afford a big loan like that (that's why I have all of these used cars that drive me nuts:frown::wink

Also, we live out in the sticks, way out in Civil War country, and have a backyard septic waste system. I know you know what that involves with the pipes going way out to leach into the ground after breakdown of solid waste. Works great, but digging up the backyard would distroy the septic system. Then my wife and I would have to use CHAMBER POTS....ever sat on one of those in the middle of a cold night?

Or we would have to send our solid waste to the treatment plant via UPS, and that chit would be expensive!!!!!!!! L.......O........L!!!!!!!!!!:biggrin:

But thank you for your suggestion...it was a very good one but doesn't fit my application. Stay warm, buddy, thanks for your caring.

Bruce '87 Grand National

 

[Bruce Urie]

Just a plane ticket,rent a trackhoe,and beer for the weekend and we will dig it up ourselves!! :biggrin: Just what I did back in the day... Loved it!!

Here are some of the last pictures of me at work back in 2005 running electric & sewer through a parking lot..

SW.

Ah! The BIG GUY on the BIG CONSTRUCTION MACHINE!!!!!:biggrin: So darn cool pictures, Scot! Really slick! Wow, you did hard work. I've always loved BIG CONSTRUCTION MACHINES so you're one lucky guy to have worked with them.

Jeez, man! Is there anything you CAN'T do??!!?!?? I've never known a guy who can do so much, and you're still a young guy. I envy you!

If the EPA comes after my ass for tank removal, I'll take you up on your offer. BUT.....and a big BUT.....you have to learn to play bass guitar, otherwise you can stay in Tennessee! I need some accompanyment on my guitar and drums!!!!

Pictures are real cool, and I really like them. MAN MACHINES!!!! Far out!!!!

Thanks for your offer. I'll keep that in mind. It does look like fun!

Bruce '87 Grand National

 

[DailyDrifter]

.EPA WILL NOT let me install my own tank and hook it up...how do you like that crap?

Well in all fairness Bruce, they probably saw how the tail light installation went......................:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

 

[Bruce Urie]

Well in all fairness Bruce, they probably saw how the tail light installation went......................:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

Ah, Jeez, Dave..L....O.....L!!!!!!!!!!!! You know, you're probably right! I thank you for the vote of confidence!


Bruce '87 Grand National

 

[GullsGN]

My house is heated with electricity. Up here in New England that meant 2500 bucks or more for the winter. I went with a wood pellet stove and now I heat both floors of my good sized split level for 750 bucks a winter.

 

[Rubicon 327]

Temporary Solution?

Can't you just grab a few 5 gal cans of K2 or diesel and have your furnace pull from that? I want to say I have heard a few HVAC guy's do that when people run out at night and can't wait till the morning for a delivery or can't afford it.

It would put some heat in the house for ya and maybe help the little electric heater keep up a little better.

Just a thought.

 

[Phoneguy]

Just a thought...

I just put security cameras in some of the local Corporate owned Valvoline instant oil change locations, all of which have oil furnaces in them, rated at 315,000 BTU's. All of the locations tanks were full and they were having to call a company there and pay them to remove excess supplies. Maybe you could call around and see if they will give you some of their extra oil, you both win. They dont have to pay to have it hauled and you get free oil.

Good luck
Bryan

 

[Bruce Urie]

Can't you just grab a few 5 gal cans of K2 or diesel and have your furnace pull from that? I want to say I have heard a few HVAC guy's do that when people run out at night and can't wait till the morning for a delivery or can't afford it.

It would put some heat in the house for ya and maybe help the little electric heater keep up a little better.

Just a thought.

That's a good idea....will try it when it gets cold the next time. Very good idea.

That's a good idea, too, Bryan, but I have nothing to haul the excess oil in....last time I looked there no tanker truck sitting in the garage:tongue: Just five gallon cans of gasoline that I bought when the price was low in order to run all the lawn stuff this spring/summer. And one good 6 gallon container of kerosene for the shop heater. But, all in all, good idea. Thanks for sharing. I did go out and get an electric radiator oil contained heater...it works very good for heating rooms....even better that the $400 quartz heater they're selling. Consumer Reports highly recommened this oil filled heater, and said the quartz are only for spot heating. The oil heater costs about $60 and it works fine. It's now warm around here so heaters will not be needed.

We are considering those pellet stoves, too, but they're kind of expensive for the fireplace insert type. Funny, we have a fireplace that the original owner outfitted with fake logs that runs on LPG with a 100 gallon tank outside...empty. We tried getting that filled but the gas boys said it had the wrong fitting on it, and can't find one that'll fit...bla, bla. I intend to take care of that problem this summer also.

Looks like we'll be getting the oil tank soon.



Bruce '87 Grand National